Silkie Guinea Pig

The human race continues to amaze me with the passing of time. Just a while ago, some animals were not anywhere near domestic. They were viewed as wild beasts that belonged to the jungle and served no purpose as pets for humans. This trend is clearly changing as seen by how people have embraced all kinds of “wild” animals not only as domestic creatures but closer than that- pets. One such animal is the Silkie Guinea Pig.

Well, in all honesty, I don’t really blame anyone for falling in love with this adorable animal in the guinea pig category. I mean with that ability to catch your eye with their natural beauty and long hair, only a few can resist. It has such a nice cuddly body that makes everyone become obsessed with it in an instant. The Silkie guinea pig has gained a lot of popularity in the recent times with most people opening up their homes and adding them into their families.

History
These lovely animals exist as a result of cross breeding between the Peruvian guinea pig and the self black guinea pig. The breed was discovered back in 1970 in the UK where they are called “shelties” to this day. The name was given to them because of their silky smooth hair (some call it celebrity hair). This type of hair has earned silkies the crown as one of the most recognized pets all over the world.

Silkie’s hair
It is worth noting that the Silkie Guinea Pig’s hair is distinctively long, soft and shiny. Owners of these pets confess to falling into the temptation of caressing their hair for hours on end. This hair comes in different multiple colors including beige, cream, white, black, red, blue as well as a mixture of these colors.

Pet care
Am sure by now you cannot wait to have a silkie as your next pet; I cannot wait too! Before you do that, let me give you a few pieces of advice that might help you take care of your pet better:
• Construct a cage wide enough to allow easy movement while keeping the pet safe from getting lost and being injured.
• Daily hair care: You saw this coming! Yes, every single day, you must attend to the silkie’s hair by brushing it to avoid formation of mat caused by food particles or bedding material.
• After a whole day of being confined in the cage, these pets require plenty of exercise. Allow them to run around the house and play with available toys.
• Offer them high-fiber rich diet in plant food, green leafy vegetables, hay and guinea pig pellets. Beware that these animals eat all the time due to their high metabolism therefore ensure you have enough food and water always.

When you bring in a Silkie Guinea Pig to your home, it may be shy at the beginning which is really a trend with most pets. Worry not; it will spring back to life in no time. Most pet stores do not necessarily keep silkies but you can easily find them at guinea pig rescue organizations that purchase them from professional breeders. Best of luck as you care for, and enjoy the company of this beautiful pet!